1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cylindrical cosmetic container, and more specifically to a cylindrical cosmetic container which can smoothly move a cylindrical cosmetic (e.g., a lipstick) to be accommodated therein outwardly, while preventing the phenomenon in which the cylindrical cosmetic retracts into the container by a small force in use, without reducing clearances between the respective members and without use of any lubricant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 1A and 1B show an example of the conventional cylindrical cosmetic (lipstick) container, which is composed of an inner tubular member 1, an outer tubular member 7 and a movable cup member 11. These members are all formed of an appropriate resin material, respectively. The inner tubular member 1 is formed with two opposing axially extending slots 3 arranged at 180 degree angular intervals, and is joined with a large diameter base member 5. The outer tubular member 7 is formed with an inner spiral groove 9, and is rotatably fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the inner tubular member 1. The movable cup member 11 is formed with two opposing radially extending projection pins 13 arranged at 180 degree angular intervals, and is slidably fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the inner tubular member 1. A pair of the projection pins 13 project radially outward through the slots 3 of the inner tubular member 1, and are engaged with the spiral groove 9 of the outer tubular member 7, respectively. A transverse wide portion 3a is provided at each of the upper and lower portions of extending slot 3 of inner tubular member 1. Further, in a practical cylindrical cosmetic container, after the above-mentioned inner tubular member 1, the outer tubular member 7 and the movable cup member 11 have been all assembled, a lid (not shown) is attached to the assembly. A cylindrical cosmetic such as a lipstick 15 is mounted on the movable cup member 11 so as to be extendable from and retractable into the container.
In use, the lid is first removed. The outer circumferential surface of time outer tubular member 7 is gripped by one hand, and the large diameter base member 5 is gripped by the other hand, to rotate the two gripped members 7 and 5 in two opposite directions, respectively. Then, the movable cup member 11 is rotated according to time relative movement between the inner and outer tubular members 1 and 7, and thereby moved along time spiral groove 9 to let the cylindrical cosmetic 15 out from the container for use. Further, after use, when time large diameter base member 5 is rotated in the reverse direction relative to the outer tubular member 7, the movable cup member 11 is moved along the same spiral groove 9 to let the cylindrical cosmetic 15 retract into the container. Thereafter, the lid is attached.
In the above-mentioned conventional cylindrical cosmetic container, however, there exists a problem in that in use after the movable cup member 11 has been moved so as to protrude from the cylindrical cosmetic 15, the movable cup member 11 or the cylindrical cosmetic 15 is liable to be returned or retract into the container by a small force (Hereinafter, this unfavorable phenomenon is referred to as "retractive phenomenon"), which results in the container not being suitable for use. The reason why the above-mentioned retractive phenomenon occurs is that relatively large clearances are required among the inner tubular member 1, the outer tubular member 7 and the movable cup member 11, in order to allow the movable cup member 11 to be moved smoothly. In other words, when these clearances are too small, the movement resistances between these members increase, so that the movable cup member 11 does not move smoothly.
In summary, there exists a technical background that the smooth movement of the movable cup member 11 and the prevention of the retractive phenomenon are not compatible. As a result, in the conventional container, the refractive phenomenon is prevented by determining the clearances among the inner tubular member 1, the outer tubular member 7 and the movable cup member 11 as small as possible, and further a lubricant such as grease is applied to the respective sliding surfaces to move the movable cup member 11 smoothly. In the conventional container, however, it has been still difficult to securely prevent the above-mentioned retractive phenomenon, and additionally there arises another problem that the lubricant flows out and then sticks onto the cylindrical cosmetic 15 and the outer circumferential surface of the container.